UConn Huskies baseball

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UConn Huskies
Baseball current event.svg 2024 UConn Huskies baseball team
Connecticut Huskies wordmark.svg
Founded1896;128 years ago (1896)
University University of Connecticut
Head coach Jim Penders (21st season)
Conference Big East
Location Storrs, Connecticut
Home stadium Elliot Ballpark (Capacity: 1,500)
Dunkin' Park (Capacity: 6,121)
Nickname Huskies
ColorsNational flag blue and white [1]
   
College World Series appearances
1957, 1959, 1965, 1972, 1979
NCAA regional champions
1979, 2011, 2022
NCAA Tournament appearances
1957, 1958, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1963, 1965 1968, 1970, 1972, 1977, 1979, 1990, 1993, 1994, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2016, 2018, 2019, 2021, 2022, 2023
Conference tournament champions
Big East: 1990, 1994, 2013, 2021, 2022
American: 2016
Regular season conference champions
Big East: 2011, 2021, 2022, 2023
Yankee: 1959, 1965, 1972

The UConn Huskies baseball team represents the University of Connecticut, in Storrs, Connecticut, in college baseball. The program is classified as NCAA Division I, and the team competes in the Big East Conference. The team is coached by Jim Penders.

Contents

UConn has appeared in five College World Series and 23 NCAA tournaments.

History

The Huskies were a regional power under coaches J. Orlean Christian and Larry Panciera, making 12 appearances in the NCAA tournament and five appearances in the College World Series from 1957 to 1979. The Huskies made their first Super Regional appearance in 2011, defeating traditional power Clemson before falling to eventual national champion South Carolina. Connecticut has claimed four Big East Conference baseball tournament Championships in 1990, 1994, 2013, and 2021, three Big East Regular season championships in 2011, 2021, and 2022 and one divisional championship in the first year of Big East competition in 1985. During their seven year tenure in the American, they appeared in three NCAA tournaments and won the 2016 American Athletic Conference baseball tournament.

Facilities

The Huskies play at the new 1,500-seat Elliot Ballpark, located at the southwest edge of the campus athletic complex, which opened for the 2021 season. It replaced J. O. Christian Field, a 2,000-seat stadium located across the street from the new ballpark. Some games are also played at minor league venues in Connecticut, most frequently Dunkin' Donuts Park in Hartford, Connecticut, Senator Thomas J. Dodd Memorial Stadium in Norwich, Connecticut, and New Britain Stadium in New Britain, Connecticut, all of which seat over 6,000 spectators.

In 2017, UConn released plans for new athletic and recreation facilities, including a new baseball stadium whose name would later be revealed as Elliot Ballpark. It is being named after the primary donors to the ballpark project, the Elliot family, headed by Doug Elliot, a former UConn baseball player who became an executive with The Hartford. [2] The stadium is being built across the street from J. O. Christian Field, on the site of Morrone Stadium, and will seat 1,500. Construction on the athletic complex began in mid-2018. [3] [4] [5] [6] [7]

Year by year results

Head coaches

The following is a list of all UConn coaches and their known records, through the 2017 season. [8]

Coach
Tenure
Wins
Losses
Ties
Pct.
No coach1896–1898690.400
T. D. Knowles1899–19011191.555
Edwin O. Smith 1902–19051391.591
George E. Lamson1906–190812131.480
John Sullivan1909–1910970.563
James Nicholas1911090.000
No coach1912660.500
Robert Edger1913460.400
Charles A. Reed1914040.000
J. J. Donovan1915170.125
D. E. Chase1916180.111
John J. Donahue1917110.500
Roy J. Guyer1919660.500
William Mellor1920380.273
Ross Swartz19212111.154
J. Wilder Tasker 1922–192312180.400
Sumner Dole1924–193564902.416
J. Orlean Christian 1936–19612541707.599
Larry Panciera 1962–19792971605.650
Andy Baylock 1980–20035564928.530
Jim Penders 2004–present6564325.602

Huskies in the pros

Connecticut has produced dozens of professional players, coaches, and umpires, most notably Jeff Fulchino (Florida Marlins, Kansas City Royals, Houston Astros, San Diego Padres), Jesse Carlson (Detroit Tigers, Houston Astros, Texas Rangers, Toronto Blue Jays, Boston Red Sox), Bob Schaefer (numerous coaching positions with 11 teams, currently Washington Nationals), Charles Nagy (Cleveland Indians, San Diego Padres; coach Arizona Diamondbacks), Walt Dropo (1950 AL Rookie of the Year), Jim Reynolds (umpire), and Dan Iassogna (umpire). Ten players were selected in the 2011 MLB Draft, including first round picks Matt Barnes (Boston Red Sox) and George Springer (Houston Astros). Anthony Kay was also drafted in the first round by the NY Mets. [9] As of 2017, Nick Ahmed, Matt Barnes, Scott Oberg, George Springer and Anthony Kay are on active Major League rosters.

Player awards

Retired numbers

The Huskies have retired three numbers in their more than 100-year history. [10]

Uconn Huskies baseball retired numbers
No.NamePos.Career
17 J. O. Christian Head Coach1936–61
28Andy BaylockHead Coach1980–2004
35 Larry Panciera Head Coach1962–79

All-Americans

The following All-Americans are recognized by the University of Connecticut. First team selections are noted with a check. [11]

SeasonNamePositionABCABACBNCBWA
1958 Bob Wedin P
Green check.svgY
N/A
1959 Moe Morhardt OF
Green check.svgY
N/A
Bill Stevens OF N/A
1961 Joe Clement P N/A
1963 Eddie Jones P
Green check.svgY
N/A
1967 George Greer OF N/A
1968 N/A
1972 John Ihlenburg 3B N/A
1976 Tom Germano P N/A
1979 Colin McLaughlin P N/A
Randy LaVigne OF N/A
1988 Charles Nagy P N/A
1993 Dennis Dwyer OF
N/A
1994 Brian Majeski OF
N/A
1996 Jason Grabowski DH
Green check.svgY
N/A
1997
N/A
1999 Mike Scott OF
N/A
2010 Mike Nemeth 1B
2011 Matt Barnes P
Green check.svgY
Green check.svgY
Green check.svgY
George Springer OF
Green check.svgY
Green check.svgY
Green check.svgY
Kevin Vance P
2013 L. J. Mazzilli 2B
2015 Vinny Siena 3B
Carson Cross P
2016 Anthony Kay P
2019 Mason Feole P
Green check.svgY

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Harry A. Gampel Pavilion</span> Indoor arena at the University of Connecticut

Harry A. Gampel Pavilion is a 10,299-seat multi-purpose arena in Storrs, Connecticut, United States, on the campus of the University of Connecticut (UConn). The arena opened on January 21, 1990, and is the largest on-campus arena in New England. It was named after industrialist and 1943 UConn graduate Harry A. Gampel, a philanthropist who walked with Martin Luther King Jr., and who donated $1 million for the construction of the arena. It is about 216,000 sq ft (20,100 m2). Gampel Pavilion is the primary home to the UConn Huskies men's basketball and women's basketball teams. It was formerly the home of the women's volleyball team.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">UConn Huskies</span> College athletic program of the University of Connecticut, US

The UConn Huskies are the intercollegiate athletic teams that represent the University of Connecticut, located in Storrs. The school is a member of the NCAA's Division I and the Big East Conference. The university's football team plays at Rentschler Field, and the men's and women's basketball teams play on-campus at Harry A. Gampel Pavilion and off-campus at the XL Center.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">J. O. Christian Field</span> Former baseball stadium in Storrs, Connecticut

J. O. Christian Field was a baseball stadium in Storrs, Connecticut, United States. It was the home field of the Connecticut Huskies baseball team of the NCAA Division I's American Athletic Conference from 1968 through 2019. The stadium held seating for 2,000 people. It was named after former UConn baseball coach and athletic director, J. Orlean Christian. UConn played their last game at J.O. Christian field on May 11, 2019, with demolition the following month.

The UConn Huskies football team is a college football team that represents the University of Connecticut in the sport of American football. The team competes in NCAA Division I FBS as an independent. Connecticut first fielded a team in 1896, and participated in Division I-AA until 1999. The Huskies began their two-year Division I-A transition period in 2000, and became a full-fledged Division I-A team in 2002. From 2000 to 2003, the team played as an independent. The school's football team then joined the conference of its other sport teams, the Big East, taking effect in 2004, through 2019. In 2019, the UConn football team left the American to again play as an independent, as the school's current primary conference, the current Big East, does not sponsor the sport. The Huskies currently are coached by Jim Mora.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Morrone Stadium</span> American stadium

Morrone Stadium, officially known as Ray Reid Field at Joseph J. Morrone Stadium is the on-campus soccer stadium at University of Connecticut in Storrs, Connecticut.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Huskies of Honor</span> Award given by the University of Connecticut

Huskies of Honor is a recognition program sponsored by the University of Connecticut (UConn). Similar to a hall of fame, it honors the most significant figures in the history of the UConn Huskies—the university's athletic teams—especially the men's and women's basketball teams. The inaugural honorees, inducted in two separate ceremonies during the 2006–07 season, included thirteen men's basketball players, ten women's basketball players, and four head coaches, of whom two coaches—Jim Calhoun and Geno Auriemma—and two players—Ray Allen and Rebecca Lobo—are also enshrined in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. Since that time, an additional nine women's basketball players, seven men's basketball players, five national championship teams, one women's basketball assistant coach, and one athletic director have been honored.

The UConn Huskies men's ice hockey team is a National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I college ice hockey program that represents the University of Connecticut. The Huskies are a member of the Hockey East conference. The Huskies play in the on-campus Toscano Family Ice Forum, having moved from the XL Center in Hartford, Connecticut during the 2022–23 season.

James F. Penders is the coach of the UConn Huskies baseball team. Penders began his time with the Huskies in 1991 as a player on the varsity team. In his senior year, he was named a co-captain and helped to lead the Huskies to victory in the 1994 Big East Conference baseball tournament. Penders was named an assistant coach of the Huskies in 1997 and became head coach after the 2003 season.

UConn Huskies baseball represents the University of Connecticut in college baseball at the NCAA Division I level.

Burrill Family Field at Connecticut Softball Stadium is the home field of the Connecticut Huskies softball team of the University of Connecticut. The stadium was located along Jim Calhoun Way, on the university's Storrs, Connecticut campus, adjacent to J. O. Christian Field and across from Morrone Stadium and the Burton Family Football Complex. The field is named for the Burrill Family, five of whom are UConn alums.

The 2017–18 UConn Huskies men's basketball team represented the University of Connecticut in the 2017–18 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The Huskies were led by sixth-year head coach Kevin Ollie. The Huskies split their home games between the XL Center in Hartford, Connecticut, and the Harry A. Gampel Pavilion on the UConn campus in Storrs, Connecticut as members of the American Athletic Conference. They finished the season 14–18, 7–11 in AAC play to finish in eighth place. They lost in the first round of the AAC tournament to SMU.

The 1999–2000 Connecticut Huskies women's basketball team represented the University of Connecticut (UConn) during the 1999–2000 NCAA Division I women's basketball season. The Huskies, led by Hall of Fame head coach Geno Auriemma in his 15th season at UConn, played their home games at Harry A. Gampel Pavilion and the Hartford Civic Center and were members of the Big East Conference. UConn finished the regular season with a record of 27–1 and went 16–0 in the Big East to win the regular season conference championship. They also won the Big East tournament. Then, they won the NCAA Tournament, defeating Tennessee in the final to win their second national championship.

The 2018–19 UConn Huskies men's basketball team represented the University of Connecticut in the 2018–19 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The Huskies were led by first-year head coach Dan Hurley and participated as members of the American Athletic Conference. The Huskies split their home games between the XL Center in Hartford, Connecticut, and the Harry A. Gampel Pavilion on the UConn campus in Storrs, Connecticut. They finished the season 16–17, 6–12 in AAC play to finish in a tie for ninth place. They defeated South Florida in the first round of the AAC tournament before losing in the quarterfinals to Houston.

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Elliot Ballpark is a baseball stadium on the campus of the University of Connecticut (UConn) in Storrs, Connecticut, United States. It is the home field of the UConn Huskies baseball team of NCAA Division I's Big East Conference. The stadium is designed to seat 1,500 people, with additional space on grass berms which can also accommodate temporary bleachers. It is named after former UConn baseball player Doug Elliot and his family, who provided a major gift towards the construction of the venue.

The 2020 UConn Huskies baseball team represents the University of Connecticut in the 2020 NCAA Division I baseball season. The Huskies play their home games at Elliot Ballpark, their brand new stadium on campus in Storrs, Connecticut. The team is coached by Jim Penders, in his 17th season at UConn.

The 2021 UConn Huskies baseball team represented the University of Connecticut in the 2021 NCAA Division I baseball season. The Huskies played their home games at Elliot Ballpark, their brand new stadium on campus in Storrs, Connecticut. The team is coached by Jim Penders, in his 18th season at UConn. The Huskies played their first season back in the Big East Conference, having departed the American Athletic Conference. They finished in first place with a 13–4 record, won the Big East tournament for the 4th time in program history, and made their 22nd appearance in an NCAA Regional.

The 2021–22 UConn Huskies men's basketball team represented the University of Connecticut in the 2021–22 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The Huskies are led by fourth-year head coach Dan Hurley in the team's second season since their return to the Big East Conference. The Huskies played their home games at the Harry A. Gampel Pavilion in Storrs, Connecticut and the XL Center in Hartford, Connecticut. They finished the season 23–10, 13–6 in Big East play to finish in third place. They defeated Seton Hall in the quarterfinals to advance to the semifinals of the Big East tournament where they lost to Villanova. They received an at-large bid to the NCAA tournament as the No. 5 seed in the West Region, where they were upset in the First Round by New Mexico State.

The 2022 UConn Huskies baseball team represented the University of Connecticut in the 2022 NCAA Division I baseball season. The Huskies played their home games at Elliot Ballpark on campus in Storrs, Connecticut. The team was coached by Jim Penders, in his 19th season at UConn. They played as members of the Big East Conference.

References

  1. "University of Connecticut Brand Colors" (PDF). Brand.UConn.edu. Retrieved March 3, 2020.
  2. "New Stadium to be Named Elliot Ballpark" (Press release). University of Connecticut. April 25, 2019. Retrieved July 27, 2019.
  3. Tim Tolokan (March 12, 2018). "Time to Bring UConn Baseball into a New Home". UConn Huskies. Retrieved March 25, 2018.
  4. Dan Madigan (February 3, 2017). "UConn releases info on possible new athletic facilities". The Daily Campus . Storrs, Connecticut . Retrieved March 25, 2018.
  5. Aman Kidwai (November 2, 2017). "UConn Getting New Soccer, Baseball, and Softball Stadiums". The UConn Blog. Retrieved March 25, 2018.
  6. Kathleen Megan (March 2, 2017). "UConn Trustees Approve $4.75 Million Design for 3 New Stadiums". Hartford Courant . Hartford, Connecticut . Retrieved March 25, 2018.
  7. Kathleen Megan (February 10, 2017). "With Feasibility Study And Ticket Surcharge, UConn Moving Forward on Plans For New Stadiums". Hartford Courant. Hartford, Connecticut. Retrieved March 25, 2018.
  8. 2012 Baseball Media Guide. UConnHuskies.com. p. 46. Retrieved 2012-06-25.
  9. 2012 Baseball Media Guide. uconnhuskies.com. pp. 49–51. Retrieved 2012-06-27.
  10. "Three Former UConn Baseball Greats Have Numbers Retired". UConn Huskies. June 1, 2004. Retrieved April 18, 2013.
  11. 2012 Baseball Media Guide. uconnhuskies.com. p. 48. Retrieved 2012-06-25.